Looking Beyond Our Disappointments
John 11:3-6
When you experience disappointments in your life, how do you respond? Do you blame yourself or someone else? Oftentimes it is difficult to know what to say or do because you can’t quite identify the real cause or purpose of the letdown.
Disappointment is often an emotional response to our failure – or someone else’s – to achieve our desires, hopes, dreams, and goals. This can lead to loss of faith in someone on whom we were depending – perhaps even a person we love.
The gospel of John tells us that Jesus loved Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. Because of this, they didn’t sense the need to tell the Lord anything more than “He whom You love is sick” (John 11:3). Their expectation was that as soon as Jesus heard this, He would come and heal their brother. But He didn’t come for two more days. When Martha met Jesus, she was disappointed. She wasn’t disappointed in Jesus; she was disappointed because He didn’t come right away and He allowed Lazarus to die. She didn’t see His purpose.
God has a purpose for allowing the disappointments of our life. He could prevent them, but He wants to show us His purpose. He wants us to learn to trust and believe (John 11:25), and to let our circumstance bring glory to Him. (John 11:4)
When disappointments come, will you be stalled and derailed out of God’s will for your life? Or will you find yourself beginning to understand God’s purpose so that you can learn from those situations? The right response is simply to trust Him.
Daily Devotions with Dr. Charles Stanlley, InTouch Ministries